Royals vs. Yankees: Game 2, prediction, odds, injuries and picks

The New York Yankees used the long ball and a strong bullpen performance to dispose of the Kansas City Royals 4-1 in Monday's series opener at Yankee Stadium. Aaron Boone's squad will look to secure the series win on Tuesday and snap a two-series losing streak, having dropped their previous sets against the Tigers and Giants.

Max Fried will get the call to the starting bump tonight with the left-hander looking to log a win for the third time in as many tries. Standing in the way of him doing so will be Michael Wacha, who is yet to earn a win through three starts.

Royals vs. Yankees recent form and records

Kansas City

The Royals currently find themselves 2.5 games out of first place in the AL Central due to playing near .500 ball over their first 17 games. Sitting 8-9 overall, Kansas City sits $167 in the red for baseball bettors with the entire deficit coming on the road, where Matt Quatraro's troops clock in 2-5, resulting in a -$322 return on investment.

New York

Monday's series-opening win was much needed for a Yankees team that had been taken to task by its prior two opponents. The triumph pushed New York to 9-7 overall, producing a -$66 ROI for MLB bettors wagering $100 per game. The Bronx Bombers sit in the black at home, however, where they've won six of 10 played games ($37).

Injuries

Kansas City

Jonathan India 2B Day To Day - Quad
Mark Canha 1B 10 Day IL - Hip
Dairon Blanco LF 10 Day IL - Achilles
Sam Long RP 15 Day IL - Elbow
Hunter Harvey RP 15 Day IL - Upper Limb
Alec Marsh SP 15 Day IL - Shoulder
Kyle Wright SP 15 Day IL - Shoulder
James McArthur RP 15 Day IL - Elbow

New York

Cody Bellinger CF Day To Day - Back
Giancarlo Stanton DH 10 Day IL - Elbow
DJ LeMahieu 3B 10 Day IL - Calf
Marcus Stroman SP 15 Day IL - Knee
Clayton Beeter SP 15 Day IL - Shoulder
Scott Effross RP 15 Day IL - Hamstring
Clarke Schmidt SP 15 Day IL - Rotator Cuff
Jonathan Loaisiga RP 15 Day IL - Elbow
JT Brubaker SP 60 Day IL - Ribs
Jake Cousins RP 60 Day IL - Elbow
Luis Gil SP 60 Day IL - Back
Gerrit Cole SP 60 Day IL - Elbow

Starting Pitchers

Michael Wacha (0-2, 4.20 ERA in 2025)

Wacha has allowed 13 hits (1 HR) and 7 ER with a 11:8 K/BB ratio in three 2025 starts.
Wacha tossed 5.1 innings of three hit and 2 ER ball with a 4:3 K/BB ratio against Minnesota in last start.
Wacha is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA and 58:15 K/BB ratio in 50.2 career IP thrown against New York.
Wacha is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 35:10 K/BB ratio in 34.2 career innings thrown in Yankee Stadium

Max Fried (2-0, 1.56 ERA in 2025)

Fried has allowed 18 hits (1 HR) and 3 ER with a 21:3 K/BB ratio in three 2025 starts.
Fried tossed 7.0 innings of five hit and 0 ER ball with a 11:0 K/BB ratio against Detroit in last start.
Fried is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 9:2 K/BB ratio in 8.2 career IP thrown against Kansas City.

Must-Watch Hitters

Kansas City

The Royals' offense is yet to hit its stride, slashing .211/.280/.311/.591 and only hitting a total of nine home runs—good for 29th overall. With that, it's tough to get excited about backing any stick against what looks to be a locked-in Max Fried.

Bobby Witt Jr. is doing his part, hitting safely in seven straight games with one home run, three doubles and three RBIs. Equally effective against both left and right-handed pitching, his player props at DraftKings are priced attractively enough to take a stab on his hot streak continuing.

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New York

One of last night's heroes, Ben Rice, collected a hit and a walk in three at-bats against Royals pitching. That lone hit, however, reached the cheap seats, which makes it five home runs on the year for New York's first baseman.

The left-handed slugger has now hit safely in nine of his last 10 starts with three home runs and five RBIs over that stretch. Michael Wacha has been much less effective against lefty bats, with four of the seven overall hits allowed going for extra bases.

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Royals vs. Yankees Betting Odds

Tuesday 4/15	Money Line	Run Line	Total Runs
Kansas City Royals	+170	+1.5 -115	O 8.5 -118
New York Yankees	-205	-1.5 -105	U 8.5 -102

Royals vs. Yankees expert picks and game prediction

As rough as Kansas City's offense has been to this point of the season, the Yankees simply don't deserve to be laying this type of chalk at DraftKings Sportsbook—even with Fried giving up next to nothing in his last two starts.

The Royals' bats have, however, shown a pulse against left-handed pitching, slashing .247/.340/.321/.661. However, they've only seen southpaws for a total of 81 at-bats. For comparison, the Yankees have taken their hacks against a lefty 213 times. Look for the visitors to finally hang a crooked number and steal Game 2.

Royals vs. Yankees Prediction: Kansas City Wins 5-4

About the author

Mike earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from the University of Kansas with dreams of becoming an orthopedic surgeon and team physician. However, his career path took a different turn as he ventured into sports handicapping, writing, and editing.

While preparing for the MCAT, Mike applied to contribute to a site offering free sports picks, which proved to be a pivotal step. His success there garnered interest from larger platforms and startups. Despite his efforts, organic chemistry derailed his medical school ambitions, and he chose to shift fully into sports betting and fantasy sports content creation.

Over a 20-year career, Mike has navigated the highs and lows of professional sports betting. His experience spans working on a late-night sports talk radio show, covering the Chicago Rush in the Arena Football League, managing a content distribution company, owning and operating a vape shop, and creating one of the first profitable DFS affiliate sites—an endeavor that helped buy his current home.

When offline, Mike enjoys working out his green thumb, coaching his son’s sports teams, hosting tea parties with his daughter, and relaxing with his wife and friends. A die-hard Kansas Jayhawks fan, he also proudly bleeds Cubbie blue.

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Edited by Mike Rose